Penumbral Hydras
The Penumbral Hydras are a Renegade Space Marine Chapter believed to have been born from the conflict known as the Fall of Mobidium. Born from the same genetic template as the Novus Krakens and Leviathans Eclipse Loyalist and Heretic Astartes respectively, the Penumbral Hydras are an extremely secretive Astartes Chapter whom evade catalog by the greater Imperium as much as possible. History The chapter's personal history begins with the Fall of Mobidium. While the Novus Krakens and Leviathans Eclipse fought for complete dominance over Mobidium, the Homeworld of all three chapters, the Penumbral Hydras formed in secret to collect and preserve the histories from which all three organizations stem from. After Mobidium was desolated, the Penumbral Hydras remained in the background and watched for the Novus Krakens to leave their now defunct homeworld behind. When the Krakens did indeed leave Mobidium, the Hydras emerged to establish themselves on the world. For, in the depths of the histories, there were tales of an ancient and powerful Trident that rested in the deepest depths of Mobidium's oceans. The Penumbral Hydras sought the weapon, to preserve and recover its mighty tales. When the Hydras did find the Trident, all attempts to recover and move it were met with fierce resistance from the weapon, or so it seemed. All attempts to remove it from its anchored position in the now null-ocean dead world failed, and some attempts ended in the complete termination of an Astartes' life. There was a pattern, however. For, those who died to the weapon's touch were later found to have been keepers of some relics or trinkets of chaotic nature. The Chapter's scant Librarians have tried to extract understanding from its evasive nature, and have learned little. From that moment onward, the chapter has maintained a standing force of at least 100 marines on Mobidium to protect and study the weapon. Notable Conflicts * The Fall of Mobidium -- 838.M41 - 'The year-long conflict where the Space Marines of Mobidium were split into three separate factions of Space Marines. When the Lord Executioner Androgous Mokurn returned from ''The Purge of Ildebad, the chapter's psykwraiths (librarians) felt the eddies of the warp nip at the corrupted Kaptein. Chapter Master Kørær desired keeping this matter within the chapter, and was going to have the Lord Executioner confined within the Fortress Monastery when an inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus arrived demanding the audience of Chapter Master Kørær and the suspected corrupted Lord Executioner. The corrupted Kaptein Mokurn, outraged with such an accusation, cut down the Inquisitor where he stood. Chapter Master Kørær immediately brought his thunder hammer to bear, but was interrupted by a well-placed punch by the former Lord Executioner, who hastily and violently escaped the Fortress Monastery. The 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 9th companies all betrayed the chapter, assisting in the escape of the vile Mokurn. Together, the traitors formed their own warband, proclaiming the fallen Lord Executioner Mokurn their Warmaster; and so the Leviathans Eclipse came to be. Roughly half of the chapter's fleet was stolen by their traitorous kin, which proved to make the skies over Mobidium as deadly as the war on the surface. Towards the end of the war, Chapter Master Kørær was slain by the traitor Mokurn, who had succeeded in breaking the defenses of the Fortress Monastery. Despite being the Regent, Kaptein Jorgun Kelios denied the position of Chapter Master, instead handing the title Herald av Krakonicus to Hargus Meltrak, who was the Kaptein of the 2nd Company at the time. Kaptein Kelios led what remained of the 1st Company and the chapter's Dreadnoughts to defend the retreat of the Chapter to the last Spaceport on the planet to retreat. Of the nearly 59 veterans and 4 dreadnoughts that were committed to the defense, only 4 veterans were recovered and the dreadnoughts had been destroyed. The fate of Kaptein Kelios was unknown, for the four had vowed themselves to eternal silence. The Novus Krakens fleet, after finishing their planet-wide orbital bombardment, chased the Leviathans Eclipse warband out of the sector, and into the Maelstrom. Knowing that they may all be susceptible to its influence, Chapter Master Meltrak gave up the chase. While monitoring the Maelstrom, the new Chapter Master began working to rebuild the chapter's losses. Ultimately the Chapter would move on from the Maelstrom, seeking to carve a new legacy to replace the one lost to treason. However, they would monitor reports from Imperial territory surrounding the great warp phenomenon extensively in anticipation of the return of the Leviathans. However unknown to both parties, ancient stasis vaults deep beneath the surface of Mobidium would release their containment, an ancient plan put into motion... * 'The Orphean War (3716.991.M41 -- 0266.999.M41) -' With the rise of the Maynarkh Dynasty, the Orpheus Sector was plunged into war. While the Novus Krakens answered the call to defend the sector, the Penumbral Hydras sent out a call of their own to desperately and bitterly defend their cradle should the Necron threat come to Mobidium. Unfortunately, they were correct to assume their vigil as Necron ships darkened the skies overhead. For the duration of the conflict the Renegades fought back, and would continue to fight ever more as the Orpheus Sector was disbanded and no more Imperial forces would distract the Maynarkh Dynasty. * '''Ash Over Mobidium (999.M41) - '''It was at the turn of the Millennium that the vile Ashen Disciples warband of Chaos Space Marines arrived in orbit of the long-dead world. Entering the long-believed dead system, the Tzeentch worshiping warband made their way to the cradle of the Novus Krakens, Leviathans Eclipse, and Penumbral Hydras seeking an artifact of great power. The divinations of the warband told them that a battle of great proportion would take place upon the world over the artifact they sought, and were prepared for conflict. Among their number were a larger handful of Acolyte warbands manipulated to do their bidding, a nearly regiment-sized force of the Ashen Disciples' own cultists; the Thrallband involved consisting of, 9 Lesser Sorcerers, 36 Rubricae, 45 Scarab Occult Terminators, 27 Tzaangors, and prepared to summon unknowable numbers of daemons of the Changer of Ways, all commanded by Arch Magister Ankhu Takar whose second was Phol T'Kor. When the devout of Tzeentch deployed teams onto the surface, on two fronts were the traps sprung. In orbit the fleet was ambushed by the Penumbral Hydra's ships, who were camouflaged in the asteroid fields that acted as rings from the destroyed moons. On the ground, sudden bombardment from Whirlwind rocket artillery blasted several positions. * '''The Reclamation of Mobidium (111.8 post-M41 -- 111.111 post-M41) - When the Orpheus Sector was dissolved at the resolution of the Orphean War, the renegade chapter's motives were unknown to the Imperium, and with a status of being renegades would not receive any support. However, it was not like the Penumbral Hydras had asked for such to begin with. Nearly one hundred years after the Cicatrix Maledictum divided the galaxy, one of the forlorn sons of Mobidium fought and returned to reclaim their home. The Novus Krakens arrived to find the Penumbral Hydras already at defensive war against various Necron Forces. Gene-Seed The Gene-Seed of the Penumbral Hydras is as elusive to acquire as a pict capture of the Astartes themselves. However, given that they bear the same gene-seed as the Novus Krakens and Leviathans Eclipse Chapter and Warband. Therefore, it can be extrapolated that they may bear the same flaw as their brother chapters. Fortress Monastery There is no fortress that the chapter calls home save for the Battle Barge class voidship named the Wisdom of Etflerien, ''but the Astartes most often refer to it as the ''Remembrance Found as well as the Great Bibliotheca. Chapter Organization Command Structure * High Librarian - The Chapter Master of the Penumbral Hydras, the Highest Authority in the Chapter. * Librarian - Leader of one company. * Guardian of the Histories '''- A Lieutenant-alike rank within the renegade chapter. * '''Archivists - The Psyker Astartes of the Penumbral Hydras. ** High Archivist - Chief Librarian ** Lord Archivist - Epistolaries ** Noble Archivist - Codiciers ** Acolyte Archivist - Lexicanium * Orators - Chapter Chaplains ** High Orator '- The Chapter Reclusiarch ** '''Lord Orator '- Master of Sanctity * '''Custodian - Apothecaries ** Lord Custodian '''- Master of the Apothecarion * '''Scriptorum - Techmarines ** Lord Scriptor - Master of the Forge * Patron '- Squad Leader or Sergeant Veteran Ranks * '''Gardiani '- Company Veterans * 'Nuntius '- Company Ancient * 'Morculus '- Sternguard Veteran Marines * 'Morcultro '- Vanguard Veteran Marines * '''Invicta - Teminators Battleline Ranks * Oculi '''- Neophyte Scout Marines * '''Hospes - Tactical Marines Close Support Ranks * Collector '''- Assault Marines * '''Organizer - Space Marine Bikers Fire Support Ranks * Legerator '''- Devastator Marines Chapter Command Companies Combat Doctrine The Penumbral Hydras utilize a doctrine of seeing yet being unseen. With great deftness they keep themselves in the shadows and do their work for... who knows what reasons? More often than not, if a Penumbral Hydras marine is spotted, it is because they wanted to be. In line with this, it is rare to acquire pict-captures of any of their number, the most prominent of which are blurred and helpful in only determining the vague color scheme of their ranks. Deathwatch Service The Penumbral Hydras do not officially serve in the Deathwatch as they are a Renegade Chapter and do not provide a tithe of warriors into its ranks. Unofficially, however, they do assist the Elite Xenos-hunters with one very elusive Blackshield known as Limnor. Chapter Fleet The Penumbral Hydras Chapter Fleet appears to be larger than what would be plenty for other chapters of smaller size. However without accurate count of the Astartes within, this could possibly mean that they were able to not only expand their number, but acquire vessels without Imperial knowledge. Known Fleet Vessels * ''Wisdom of Etflerien'' '-' Battlebarge class vessel. Known aliases Remembrance Found and Grand Bibliotheca. * ''Forgotten Warden ''- Strike Cruiser class vessel. * ''Greatest Power'' * ''Know Eternity'' * ''Modest Scriptor'' * ''Unknown'' * ''Sepiida'' - Gladius Class Frigate Chapter Relics * '''The Shroud Scales - '''A cloak bestowed upon the High Librarian, or Chapter Master of the Renegade Chapter. It is of a cameoline threading, and sequined with scales of mysterious origin; perhaps from the Legendary Etflerien itself. The cloak assists in masterfully obscuring its wearer from enemy forces. During one encounter with agents of the Imperium, a Vindicare Assassin had his eyes, and scope, on the bearer of this relic; and when he fired in his deadly accuracy, the shot went wide. * '''Oculon Primaris - This weapon is a relic boltgun masterfully crafted and modified by the greatest artificers in the renegade chapter. It fires further and more accurately than any other bolt weapon, its impressive score of VIP kills kept upon a parchment adorning its stock. Notable Penumbral Hydras Chapter Culture Relations Allies It is unknown whether or not this Renegade Chapter have any allies to speak of. However, given their secretive nature, this could just simply mean that their allies are deeply seeded and their contributions masterfully hidden. Enemies [[Ashen Disciples|'Ashen Disciples']]' - '''The Ashen Disciples Warband has solidified itself as the greatest enemy of the Penumbral Hydras, having assaulted Mobidium in order to claim the ancient relic that the Renegades are sworn to defend. Quotes By the Penumbral Hydras About the Penumbral Hydras ''Feel free to add your own Gallery Category:Space Marines Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Unknown Geneseed